How To Take Care of Azaleas

Azaleas are a popular plant you see a lot of during the holiday season. With azaleas they must be carefully watered. The compost must be kept moist. Be sure the roots are not continuously soaked but instead moist. The best method to water azaleas is to set the pot inside a bowl of water and allow the plant to drink.

Azaleas also love rain water since they are an acid-loving plant. They also thrive best in high humidity. If you set the pot on a tray of gravel and water this will raise the plants level of humidity. Azaleas prefer to be kept cool. They prefer bright indirect light. A temperature of 50 to 60 F. is usually ideal. The flowers tend to wilt or droop when they become over-heated.

Feed the azaleas a good quality plant food once a week. Make sure to use a compost that contains enicaceous and also has enough grit to assist with drainage.

In the fall, move the plants inside to prevent them from becoming frostbit. If the plants must remain outdoors, be sure to cover them with a burlap material to protect them from the frost. The plants will begin to bloom again in the spring.

When keeping the plants outside chose locations which have partial shade. Add mulch to the azaleas soil to improve the plant's appearance as well as to maintain adequate and proper amounts of moisture.

Prune the plants in order to maintain their shape. If you prune the plants later in the year you will not have as many flowers in the following year. It is best to prune earlier in the season.